Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [409]
Caramel Custard Sauce
Makes about 2/3 cup
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons sugar
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon brandy or rum
Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch in a large bowl; set aside.
Melt the sugar in a large saucepan set over medium heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown. Meanwhile, whisk the cream in a medium bowl until quite foamy.
Whisk the cream in a slow stream into the hot sugar. Be careful: it will roil up in the pan. If you work slowly and deliberately, drizzling the cream in and whisking all the while, you’ll keep the foaming to a minimum. Once all the cream has been added, continue whisking over the heat until the sugar melts again and the mixture is smooth.
Slowly whisk the cream mixture into the egg yolks, dribbling it in and whisking all the while. Once it has been thoroughly whisked into the yolks, place this combined mixture back in the saucepan.
Reduce the heat to very low (if you’re working with an electric stove, use a second burner just now set to low). Set the pan over the heat and whisk constantly until slightly thickened, not quite bubbling, about 1 minute.
Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl to remove any inadvertent bits of scrambled egg, then stir in the brandy or rum. Set aside at room temperature to cool for 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Summer Pudding
A summer pudding is an unbaked concoction of berries and bread; the bread soaks up the liquid, the natural pectin holds the thing together, and it molds into a pudding. You can even use frozen blueberries and raspberries to good effect (but use fresh strawberries for the best taste). If you want to make sure the pudding unmolds, line the baking dish or bowl with plastic wrap—a precautionary but unnecessary step. Serve with Sweetened Whipped Cream. Makes 8 servings
4 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons white or gold rum
2 cups raspberries
2 cups blueberries
¼ teaspoon salt
1½-pound loaf sliced white sandwich bread, preferably a country white without hydrogenated shortening, crusts removed
Mix the strawberries, sugar, and rum in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, and cook just until the strawberries soften and just begin to break down, about 1 minute.
Stir in the raspberries and blueberries, return to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until sauce-like but still with visible berries in the mix, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
Cover the bottom of a 2-quart soufflé dish with bread slices. Spoon in one-third of the berries and their sauce. Place another layer of bread on top, then spoon in half the remaining berries and sauce. Place yet another layer of bread on top, then spoon in the remaining berries and sauce.
Finally, top with another layer of bread slices. Alternatively, you can make this pudding in a 2-quart mixing bowl; the bread layers will get larger as the bowl widens toward the top so adjust the amount of berries accordingly, making three (or four) layers of berries with bread in between and then on top.
Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap down against the surface of the bread. Set a small plate on top, then set a 16-ounce can or a ramekin filled with water on top of the plate. Place the whole thing in a large pan to catch any drips (most likely, there’ll be none) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
To unmold, remove the weight and plate, then peel off the plastic wrap. Place a serving platter over the soufflé dish (or bowl), invert, and shake a few times to make the pudding come free. Remove the bowl and slice the pudding into wedges to serve.
Variations: Substitute gooseberries, blackberries, or pitted cherries for the raspberries.
Add ½ teaspoon finely grated